Strat. & Sed.

870:136g

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 1

 Sedimentology vs. Stratigraphy
• Sedimentology is the study of the origin and
classification of sediments and sedimentary rocks
– Mostly the physical and chemical properties, and the
processes by which they formed
• Stratigraphy is the science of layered rocks
– Mostly the interpretation of rock sequences, their age,
and correlation
• The interpretation of depositional environments
relies on both sedimentology and stratigraphy!

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 2

 Applications
• The ultimate goal of stratigraphy and
sedimentology is to develop a deeper
understanding of Earth history, via:
– Paleogeography
– Paleoecology
– Paleoclimatology
• Strat and Sed have practical applications in
– Mineral extraction industries (oil & gas; mining)
– Hydrogeology
– Environmental geology

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 3

 Chapter 1—Key points
• Know the main kinds of chemical weathering processes
and what kinds of minerals are affected by each process
(be able to give examples).
• Know the by-products of each subaerial weathering
process.
• Know the relative stability of common minerals under
weathering conditions
• What is the significance of weathering to stratigraphy and
sedimentology?
• Be able to discuss the criteria by which paleosols can be
recognized.

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 4

 Weathering and soils
• Weathering is the disintegration (physical)
and/or decomposition (chemical) of rocks
• The products of weathering are residual
particles, secondary minerals, and dissolved
compounds
• Weathering products are the source
materials for sediments and soils

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 5

 Physical weathering
• Physical weathering is the mechanical
disintegration of rocks into smaller fragments or
individual grains
– Frost wedging (freeze/thaw cycles)
– Sheeting (release of overburden pressure)
– Break-up of rocks by plant and animal activity
• Physical weathering is relatively less important
than chemical weathering, and it operates in
concert with chemical weathering

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 6

Interaction of physical weathering and
chemical weathering

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 Chemical weathering
• Chemical weathering is the decomposition
of rocks by water and atmospheric gases
dissolved in water (O2, CO2)
– Minerals of the parent rock are dissolved and
removed in solution
– New, secondary minerals may form
– The fabric of the parent rock is disrupted,
leaving behind a residue of more resistant
mineral grains and secondary minerals
Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 8
Chemical weathering (continued)
• The major types of chemical weathering
are
– Hydrolysis
– Hydration
– Oxidation
– Solution

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 9

 Hydrolysis
• Hydrolysis is the reaction between silicate
minerals and acid (H+) that leads to the breakdown
of the minerals and the release of metal cations
and silica
• Source of acids is CO2 dissolved in water
– CO2 + H2O  H2CO3  H+ + HCO3-
– Acids also originate from plants
• Feldspars that undergo hydrolysis typically
produce secondary clay minerals
– Orthoclase (K) feldspar  kaolinite or illite + silicic acid
– Plagioclase (Na) feldspar  kaolinite or smectite + silicic acid
Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 10
 Hydration
• Hydration is the process by which water is added
to a mineral to form a new mineral
anhydrite + water  gypsum

CaSO4 + 2H2O  CaSO4×2H2O

– Hydration generally does not produce secondary

products, but it does result in a volume increase, and
therefore the potential for mechanical disintegration

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 11

 Oxidation
• Oxidation is the decomposition of iron- and
manganese-bearing silicates by oxygen
dissolved in water
Fe2+  Fe3+ + e- , where the loss of the electron leads to the
loss of other cations, such as Si4+, in order to maintain
electrical neutrality. This leads to collapse of the crystal
lattice
4Fe2+SiO3 + O2  2Fe3+2O3 + 4SiO2
pyroxene hematite quartz

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 12

Oxidation

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 Solution
• Simple solution is the dissolution of
soluble minerals upon contact with water
• Highly soluble minerals include
– Evaporites (gypsum, halite)
– Calcite
– Dolomite
H2O + CO2 + CaCO3  Ca2+ + 2HCO3-
calcite bicarbonate

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 14

Chemical weathering (continued)
• Rates of chemical weathering vary with
climate and mineral composition and grain
size of the parent rock
– Chemical weathering is faster in wet climates
– Chemical weathering rates increase with
increasing temperature
– Fine grained rocks of a given composition
weather more slowly than their coarser grained
equivalents
Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 15
By-products of
chemical weathering

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 16

 Chemical weathering (continued)
• Relative stability of sand- and silt-sized common
minerals under weathering conditions (note
relationship to Bowen’s Reaction Series):
Mafic minerals Felsic minerals
increasing stability

olivine
Ca plagioclase
pyroxene
Ca-Na plagioclase
amphibole Na-Ca plagioclase
Na plagioclase
biotite
orthoclase, muscovite, quartz

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 17

 Products of weathering
• New sedimentary particles:
– Parent rock residues, composed of resistant minerals
and rock fragments
– Secondary minerals, largely the result of hydrolysis
and oxidation
• Raw material for chemical sedimentary rocks:
– Soluble compounds, largely the result of hydrolysis
and simple solution
• Until they are removed by erosion, particulate
residues and secondary minerals remain in situ to
form a soil
Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 18
 Products of weathering
(continued)
• Weathering of igneous and metamorphic rocks produces
immature soils rich in unstable minerals. As the soil
matures, it retains only the more resistant minerals. Clays,
iron oxides or hydroxides, and aluminum hydroxides are
present as secondary minerals
• Weathering of siliciclastic sedimentary rocks produces
soils that are depleted in unstable minerals (because the
unstable minerals were eliminated in a previous weathering
cycle)
• Weathering of limestones produces thin soils with
insoluble silicates and iron-oxide residues

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 19

 Soils
• Soil above bedrock is made up of:
– Weathering by-products
• Residual grains (chemically stable minerals)
• Secondary minerals (clays, iron oxides, aluminum
hydroxides)
– Organic matter
• Soil type is determined by:
– Bedrock lithology
– Climate
Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 20
Generalized
soil profile

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 21

Soils and climate

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 22

 Paleosols
• Paleosols are ancient or fossil soils
preserved in the stratigraphic record
• Paleosols generally occur beneath
unconformities
• Paleosols provide good clues for the
interpretation of paleoenvironments and
paleoclimates

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 23

 Paleosols
• Criteria for recognizing paleosols:
1. Horizon enriched in organic matter
2. Red-colored horizons, with color becoming more
intense up-section
3. Presence of recognizable soil horizons
• Uppermost surface sharply truncated
• Gradational mineral content, with unstable minerals
decreasing in abundance up-section
4. Presence of soil structures (peds, cutans)
5. Root traces, or other disruption of original
sedimentary structures by organic activity
Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 24
Soil structures: peds

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 Paleoclimates
• Clues to the reconstruction of ancient
climates are preserved in sedimentary
rocks and paleosols
1. Sedimentary facies (climate-sensitive rock
types)
2. Fossil plants and animals

Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 26

 Climate-sensitive rock types
• Marine carbonates and reefs
– Oxygen isotope ratios in carbonates can be used
to infer paleotemperatures
• Evaporites
• Glacial deposits
• Coals
• Eolian deposits
Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 27
 Climate-sensitive biota
• Land plants
– Tree rings
– Pollen and spore assemblages
• Land animals
– Reptiles, amphibians, mammals
– Must use with analogy to nearest living relatives
• Marine invertebrates and protists
– Must be able to recognize warm-water vs. cool-water
assemblages of species
Strat and Sed, Ch. 1 28